Evaluation of xTAG Respiratory Viral Panel FAST and xTAG Human Parainfluenza Virus Analyte-Specific Reagents for detection of human parainfluenza viruses in respiratory specimens

MOL-PCR and xMAP Technology: A Multiplex System for Fast Detection of Food- and Waterborne Viruses

Viruses are common causes of food- and waterborne diseases worldwide. Conventional identification of these agents is based on cultivation, antigen detection, electron microscopy, or real-time PCR. Because recent technological advancements in detection methods are focused on fast and robust analysis, a rapid multiplexing technology, which can detect a broad spectrum of pathogenic viruses connected to food or water contamination, was utilized. A new semiquantitative magnetic bead-based multiplex system has been designed for simultaneous detection of several targets in one reaction. The system includes adenoviruses 40/41 (AdV), rotavirus A (RVA), norovirus (NoV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), hepatitis A virus (HAV), and a target for external control of the system. To evaluate the detection system, interlaboratory ring tests were performed in four independent laboratories. Analytical specificity of the tool was tested on a cohort of pathogenic agents and biological samples with quantitative PCR as a reference method. Limit of detection (analytical sensitivity) of 5 × 10⁰ (AdV, HEV, and RVA) and 5 × 10¹ (HAV and NoV) genome equivalents per reaction was reached. This robust, senstivie, and rapid multiplexing technology may be used to routinely monitor and manage viruses in food and water to prevent food and waterborne diseases.

xMAP Technology: Applications in Detection of Pathogens

xMAP technology is applicable for high-throughput, multiplex and simultaneous detection of different analytes within a single complex sample. xMAP multiplex assays are currently available in various nucleic acid and immunoassay formats, enabling simultaneous detection and typing of pathogenic viruses, bacteria, parasites and fungi and also antigen or antibody interception. As an open architecture platform, the xMAP technology is beneficial to end users and therefore it is used in various pharmaceutical, clinical and research laboratories. The main aim of this review is to summarize the latest findings and applications in the field of pathogen detection using microsphere-based multiplex assays.

Respiratory Infections

The majority of respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are community acquired and are the single most common cause of physician office visits and among the most common causes of hospitalizations. The morbidity and mortality associated with RTIs are significant and the financial and social burden high due to lost time at work and school. The scope of clinical symptoms can significantly overlap among the respiratory pathogens, and the severity of disease can vary depending on patient age, underlying disease, and immune status, thereby leading to inaccurate presumptions about disease etiology. The rapid and accurate diagnosis of the causative agent of RTIs improves patient care, reduces morbidity and mortality, promotes effective hospital bed utilization and antibiotic stewardship, and reduces length of stay. This chapter focuses on the clinical utility, advantages, and disadvantages of viral and bacterial tests cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and new promising technologies for the detection of bacterial agents of pneumonia currently in development or in US FDA clinical trials are briefly reviewed.